


Drinks

by Enderwoah



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Character ≠ Real Person, Gen, Physical Abuse, President Schlatt is Not, Schlatt is Great, Schlatt is an Awful Person, Sorry Not Sorry, Toby Smith | Tubbo Angst, Toby Smith | Tubbo Needs a Hug, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:26:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26950615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enderwoah/pseuds/Enderwoah
Summary: Schlatt loses his temper once, and it spirals.
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot
Comments: 7
Kudos: 188





	Drinks

Tubbo isn't exactly sure how he got into this mess.

It probably wasn't his fault -- he was sure his name would be following Tommy's in Schlatt's first course of action. After all, if he so hated L'Manburg's history, then why wouldn't he exile the person that worked so tirelessly to get them the materials needed to win?

But alas, Schlatt wasn't thinking like that. Perhaps he was only called up on that stage as an extra punch in the gut to Tommy, who had definitely been the rudest to Schlatt. Kicking him out apparently wasn't enough.

Oh, how Tubbo wishes he was Tommy right now.

Not that he would want to switch places. No, Tubbo wouldn't wish that even on his worst enemy, let alone his best and closest friend. The endless work hours with little time for food or rest in between, the constant hate-filled speech directed towards his closest comrades, the yelling, the laughing, the ever-present stench of alcohol that grows more pungent every time Schlatt grows near...

Tubbo wrinkles his nose, looking up from the stack of papers in front of him. It's almost like a warning signal for when Schlatt comes around...and it's projected by none other than Schlatt himself.

That small bit of humor found in the midst of his dreary circumstances makes him giggle, quietly and to himself.

"What the hell're you laughing about?"

Tubbo practically gives himself whiplash in turning around, only to be greeted with the intimidating sight of Mister President Jschlatt standing in the doorway to Tubbo's private office, a short, almost empty glass of some brown, definitely alcoholic drink in his hand. He leans against the doorframe, almost propping himself up, and Tubbo can immediately tell that he's drunk. That glass of whatever is most certainly not his first.

Tubbo resists the urge to roll his eyes. Some great ruler he is. But even though Schlatt is... _heavily_ intoxicated, his red eyes are still sharp and piercing.

As if he's fully aware, just off the leash of common sense. It scares the younger boy. Just a little bit.

"N-Nothing, Schlatt. I was just, um, filling out the papers you asked for, see!" Tubbo moves slightly to the side to show the separated stacks of papers on his desk, sorted neatly into piles.

"Oh. Really?" Schlatt asks in an almost surprised tone, and Tubbo nods fervently. Schlatt straightens up, detaching himself from the wall with a slight stumble as he walks forwards, and Tubbo grips the back of his chair to stop his hands from trembling as he moves closer and closer. "And, pray tell, what is so funny about..." Schlatt leans around Tubbo to squint at the document sitting directly in front of him. "Enderpearl trade deals with the DreamSMP?"

"Um, n-nothing, Schlatt --"

"Didn't I tell you to stand up when speaking to me?"

Something in Schlatt's voice mixed with the glint in his unnervingly aware eyes makes Tubbo almost trip over himself in standing, muttering along the lines of, "Yes, Schlatt, you did, Schlatt, sorry Schlatt."

In a matter of seconds, Tubbo is stood only a few feet away from his president, something that feels less and less of an honor and more of a nightmare.

"As I was, uh, saying, there's nothing funny ab -"

Schlatt's glare dissolves Tubbo's speech into incoherent muttering in an instant. He swipes at his nose, sniffing, before putting his free hand on his hip and pacing around the room. The younger boy only watches with bated breath, terrified to make even the slightest of movements.

The room is silent for almost an entire minute, and Tubbo's nose burns from the overwhelming smell of alcohol and what may or may not be cigarettes. It's just an educated guess, though -- he's never seen Schlatt smoke or anything, but he certainly wouldn't put it past him. The guy seems to have all the bad habits.

Again, Tubbo just can't believe what a great president Manburg has.

He's broken out of his thoughts by a sudden sound coming from across the room -- a chuckle. A small chuckle that very suddenly transitions into a fit of laughter, and Schlatt wags a finger at Tubbo.

"Tubbo...you were laughing at _me,_ weren't you?"

Tubbo's eyes widen in panic and he shakes his head harshly. "No, of course not, Schlatt, I would never --"

"No, nonono," Schlatt says, cutting him off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "You don't have to lie to me, Tubbo, I get, really!"

"But --"

"I mean," Schlatt continues as if Tubbo hadn't even spoken. "Who wouldn't laugh at this -- this _mess_ of a president, huh?" He chuckles through his speech, his hand movements becoming wilder, more erratic as he goes on. "You don't think I'm trying to keep t together? Do you know...how _hard_ it is to run a country of this caliber, huh?"

Tubbo doesn't dare respond -- he has no idea whether that rhetorical or not.

Schlatt slams his glass on a side table, and Tubbo swears he can see hairline fractures crawling up from the bottom of the cup. "I asked you a _question,_ dammit! Answer me when I speak to you!"

Tubbo clenches his hands together behind his back and shakes his head yet again. "No, Schlatt, sorry Schlatt, it won't happen again," he squeaks. This is slowly turning into a scene that Tubbo wants out of as soon as possible.

"Y'know, I would laugh at me, too, Tubbo. A worthless failure that couldn't even win a damn election without the help of _Quackity_ _,_ of all people!" Schlatt's laughs sound a lot more forced, as if they're physically hurting him. His red eyes look like those of a predators, darting around the room for something to prey on.

And who else is there in the room but Tubbo?

"A guy who exiled those Goddamn dictators and everyone hates him for it, who's citizens are all planning to betray him behind his _fucking_ back --"

Out of nowhere, Schlatt's hand flies out and sends a stack of papers flying off a desk, and Tubbo jumps but makes no move to clean it up. Not yet.

"Tubbo --" Tubbo's wild eyes, no longer sharp and clear, now clouded with rage and distrust and passion, lock onto the teenager, and he has to stop himself from shrinking away. "Tubbo, you're not gonna betray me, right? You're the Big T, my right-hand man, you wouldn't go running away -- back to Tommy 'n' Wil, right?"

"No, Schlatt, of course not --"

"Tubbo, where do you go?" Schlatt asks, all movement ceasing suddenly as he turns to stare at the sixteen-year-old.

"I...um...p-pardon?"

"Where. Do. You. Go?" Schlatt repeats slowly, running a hand through his hair, dragging a thumb over the ridges of his brown horns. "All of those times when you're suddenly jus'...not here! Gone! Poof. Not in your _office,_ not your _base,_ can't find you _anywhere._ Where do you run off to every day, Tubbo? And don't you _dare_ lie to _me."_

Tubbo's eyes dart around the room. There's no way he can tell Schaltt about being a spy for Pogtopia -- the guy would wring his neck then and there. And he would never, he _could_ never sell his friends out like that. "Uh, um, I, well, y'know, I spend a lot of time in my library -- it's one of my newer projects, so it makes sense that you wouldn't know where it is! And I spend a lot of time clearing out the forest around Manburg like you told me to on the To-Do list!"

Over the course of Tubbo talking, Schlatt had moved to lean over the now cleared desk from earlier, both hands planted on the wooden surface. He stays silent and nods slowly after Tubbo finishes, and the boy knows he fucked up.

"Huh. Tubbo, do you know -- d'you remember what I just told you?" Schlatt asks, and Tubbo's blood runs ice cold.

"W-What did you tell me, sir?"

"I told you not...to _fucking...LIE TO ME."_

Tubbo didn't even see Schlatt pick up the glass, and before he can even register what's happening, it's flying straight at him.

He has no time to move or react, and the glass cup collides directly with his left shoulder, shattering on impact and sending glass flying everywhere, a piece of which cuts the underside of Tubbo's chin. At the same time, the ice cubes that were in the cup fly out, two hitting him smack in the middle of his forehead.

Tubbo stumbles backward with a cry, pressing the back of his right hand to his chin to see if it's bleeding -- it is -- before tenderly clutching his probably bruising shoulder, all whilst looking at Schlatt with an expression of horror and disbelief.

Schlatt looks just as shocked with himself, doesn't seem to know what to feel. A flash of regret rises to his now sharp eyes, but it's quickly smothered by something else as he glances away.

The room is silent for a few moments before Schlatt stiffens, sniffs, readjusts his tie, and gives the shorter boy a curt nod.

"Tubbo."

The door slams shut behind him.

The stunned silence lasts for only a moment longer before Tubbo begins to cry.


End file.
